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=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=This is the first that the digest folks are hearing this, so I'm going to put the original email down below.
Everyone has been extremely supportive and I would estimate at least half the list has wrote in. I appreciate your comments and I've given the matter deep consideration. I think the best move for all involved would be to switch the mailing list from posting articles in entirety to summary notifications. I realize that this is not the same thing and may be specifically against the reason some people subscribed in the first place. Unfortunately, the alternative is likely no list at all at this point.
So here's the plan. For now, we'll switch to only sending title, link and synopsis out via email. Links will click to the Web site, which will afford me the control I desire over the content. Plus, will probably help us out with our Web advertising, since you mailing list people are all basically freeloaders. =) Down the road, hopefully when sunnier days return we can return to our original format. Note that one thing I do plan to do is to send out in entirely an "advertisers' specials" email. This will also be posted on the Web site. This is something new I'm working on to hopefully help out our advertisers. A current Web version of this can be found here : <http://www.insanely-great.com/news.php?id=1911>
So that's the plan. For now, I think I'll just leave the subscriber lists alone and let those who want off this ride to unsubscribe themselves. I'll send out a detailed email with instructions to unsubscribe which will include the email address that was used to subscribe. Otherwise instructions are listed in the footer. When you subscribed originally, you received this info, but I know these things tend not to hang around.
So now the question is how these messages will be sent out. We have two options, first is the individual email + daily digest like we do now, and second only the daily/single digest. Personally I'd probably opt for the digest just since it's easier to handle on my end, but I know it's often easier to manage individual email, rather than scanning a digest. So if you have a preference for the individual email, drop me a note at mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Second, I'm curious if anyone knows of any good OS X mailing list software? I'm using LetterRip via Classic, and it's not the best solution. I know they're working on an OS X version, but not sure when it'll come out or even if I'll want to pay for the upgrade. Ideally this would be inexpensive/free OS X solution.
I want to thank again everyone who sent in their support. I wouldn't have considered this sort of compromise otherwise. The new list should start up in a few days.
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Email Sent Friday:
No April Fools. I will be shutting down the Mac New Wire mailing list at the end of March. The mailing list has been running since 1997. As far as I know it's the only daily news list that publishes complete articles, not just summaries.
Here's a little background to explain what's happening. The way we post our content is IGM writers post their stories directly to the Web site, which then automatically sends out an email to the Mac News Wire. I wish I had the time or resources to fully edit all articles before they're posted, but that's just not possible, at least not in a timely fashion. Instead I review the articles after they have been posted and make revisions where needed to the Web site. The problem with this system is that it leaves only the Web site to contain the "official" version of the article. To date, Mac News Wire subscribers have either tolerated or somehow didn't notice the occasional typos and other imperfections in exchange for getting a more "raw" feed of our news delivered directly to their mail boxes.
Now for the shut down... An incident occurred Thursday after reader Stephen E. Hutson initiated a campaign to lobby our advertisers to reconsider advertising with Insanely Great Mac. The individual did this after reading an inappropriate comment in a news story. The comment was inappropriate, but we were given no opportunity for recourse before our financial well-being was threatened. Whatever his rational, I view this as an attempt to sabotage my business, and will swiftly ensure it doesn't happen again. This isn't the first time this has happened, but advertising dollars are hard to come by these days and any negative influence is most unwelcome. Our advertisers have always been supportive, but unfortunately there's just too much of a liability in our content system to take a chance on something like this happening again. So after careful consideration, I have decided to shut down the mailing list since I'm ultimately responsible for its contents, but yet have no editorial control over its contents. At the same time, manually posting finalized articles in a timely fashion is just not practical.
I'm not pleased with this decision, but I feel I have no other option. I may just forget about mailing lists, or maybe we will retool the mailing list as a news announcement, providing a title and synopsis. Or perhaps maybe we'll start an open discussion list. I'd be open to anything that doesn't involve us manually posting articles to the list or the current system of automatically posting "unedited" news. If you have an opinion one way or the other, let me know. I'll keep all the email address until a decision is made and put out an announcement if we decide make any new lists. No one will be automatically subscribed to anything new and obviously we won't give out your email address regardless of what happens.
In the mean time, I encourage you to continue reading Insanely Great Mac content via our Web site.
/MDF
_____________________________ Michael D. Flaminio Insanely Great Mac
http://www.insanely-great.com
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